Door 2 Tour

Coach Holidays, Escorted Tours & Events

0330 440 3999

Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm

The Orkney Isles

UK & Ireland
  • Duration: 7 days
  • Board Basis: Half Board
  • Tour Ref: D2TGLE9392

Holiday Summary

  • Travel Type: Coach

7 days

7 Day Coach Holiday

The Orkney Isles boast awesome landscapes with unspoiled beaches and powerful seas crashing against soaring cliffs. The islands also have an incredible history and parts have been declared World Heritage Sites. Our holiday is based in the capital of Kirkwall, home to a twelfth century cathedral and a picturesque harbour. Our guided tours will ensure you make the most of your stay and get underway with a visit to the Italian Chapel. This beautiful church was built by Italian prisoners of war who had been transported there to build the Churchill Barriers - causeways constructed on the orders of Winston Churchill to protect the British naval fleet in Scapa Flow. We visit Skara Brae, a Stone Age settlement that predates the Pyramids and is one of Europe’s best preserved prehistoric sites. The Standing Stones of Stenness is an ancient ceremonial place, while the Ring of Brodgar is a dramatic monument, and arguably the most iconic symbol of Orkney’s prehistoric past. We call at the Broch of Gurness, a well-preserved Iron Age settlement, then conclude our exploration of Orkney with a visit to 16th century Earl’s Palace.

PRICE FROM ? £899 per person
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Itinerary

Coach Holidays (UK Mainlands)

  • Dinner, Bed & Breakfast 
  • Coach travel throughout
  • Excursions as stated
  • ABTA bonded for your peace of mind

Holiday Highlights & Inclusions

• Guided tours of Orkney (including entry where applicable) taking in the Italian Chapel, Scapa Flow, Churchill Barriers, Skara Brae, Standing Stones of Stenness, Ring of Brodgar, Broch of Gurness and the Earl’s Palace
• Free time in Kirkwall
• Excursion to Stromness
• Six nights dinner, bed & breakfast
• Coach & ferry travel throughout
• ABTA bonded for your peace of mind

Your Holiday Itinerary

Day One. We travel north to our overnight dinner, bed and breakfast hotel in the Highlands.

Day Two. We continue to Gills Bay where we catch the ferry to quaint St Margaret’s Hope on the Orkney island of South Ronaldsay, where we will be joined by a local guide. Our first stop is the Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm, created as a place of worship and symbol of peace by Italian prisoners of war and where you can marvel at the stunning interior. We cross Scapa Flow, over the Churchill Barriers which were created during a time of war but now serve as a vital link between the islands. Arriving on the main island of Orkney, it’s a scenic drive to Kirkwall, where we check into the Ayre Hotel for our four-night stay.

Day Three. Our full day guided tour gets underway with a visit to the Neolithic village of Skara Brae where you can step back an incredible 5000 years as you view homes with stone bed enclosures, dressers and seats. From here, we call at the imposing Standing Stones of Stenness, possibly the oldest stone circle in the British Isles, with some of the monoliths standing at up to six metres high. The wow factor continues when we stop at the Ring of Brodgar, a hauntingly wonderful stone circle, built around 2500BC. The rest of the day will be at leisure in the old seaport of Stromness, with its harbourside cottages, warren of snaking lanes, nooks and crannies.

Day Four. Free day to relax or explore Kirkwall.

Day Five. Our guided tour takes us past sleepy villages where time has stood still to the Broch of Gurness, a onetime dominant Iron Age hamlet, nestled around a massive tower, and around 2000-years-old. The 16th century Earl’s Palace is our final Orcadian treat, a fortified residence built by the half brother of Mary, Queen of Scots, with gun holes in every wall, and eyebrow raising tales to tell!

Day Six. We check out after breakfast and travel to our ferry back to Gills Bay, then onwards to our overnight dinner, bed and breakfast hotel on the mainland.

Day Seven. We continue home after a truly unforgettable holiday.

Orkney

Collect 250 Coach Miles

COACH MILES is our fantastic reward scheme, allowing you to save money the more you travel with us. On this holiday you can collect 250 coach miles.

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Accommodation

Ayre Hotel - Kirkwall

One of Orkney’s finest hotels, this whitewashed family run property is centrally located in Kirkwall, overlooking the harbour with many attractions within easy walking distance. It has a bright and spacious restaurant, and a  traditional lounge bar with pool table.

Click Here for more information on the hotel symbols

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